“Absolutely. Let me roll to my computer and find the file.” Roll? Her office chair must have wheels.
Mandy read off the changes she’d penciled in and waited a beat too long to say goodbye.
“Max is very lucky to have a friend like you,” Sophie purred in that voice.
Mandy swore the vixen was taunting her. “You, also.” Mandy said as politely as she could.
“No, really. We should meet and exchange notes. Max is a fascinating man and he needs women like us to keep his feet grounded in clay. Otherwise, he might float away to Heaven and we’d really miss him. Well, I know I would.”
“Goodbye, Sophie.”
“Well, goodbye, sweetie.” Sophie sounded puzzled at Mandy’s abruptness.
The rest of the day passed in a blur.
Mandy went to bed. She tossed and turned, wrapping herself in the covers so tightly it woke her. The thought of Max with the beautiful and helpful Sophie made her groan aloud. How could she have been such an idiot? At three-thirty in the morning, she was wide awake. What did one do in the dark hours before dawn? She made some chamomile tea, sat in her favorite chair, and opened a book. The story was cute and funny, and the light read should have had her laughing out loud. Instead, she laid down the book and closed her eyes, just for a moment.
The sunlight woke her, and she started, thinking she was late for work, but a moment of calm overtook her when she realized it was her day off.
What should she do today? Her tiny apartment would only take an hour to clean. Her laundry was only half full. What would raise her spirits? Max. She wanted to be with Max.
She had no way to contact him, but the feeling was almost hypnotic. There was only one avenue to get in touch with him: Sophie. But she’d been rude to the woman.
Would Sophie return the favor if she asked to get in touch with him? Moreover, would Mandy look like a fool? She did her cleaning and thought about it. She wasn’t given to impulse; she was a list maker, a woman who intelligently weighed the options and results. But now she didn’t care. She needed to talk to Max.
“Hello, Sophie?”
“Yes, Mandy.” The silky contralto voice caressed her.
“Do you think we should meet? About the business plan, I mean,” Mandy stammered.
“Oh, I’m so pleased you reconsidered. How about after lunch, around 1:00 PM?”
“Sounds good. Where is good for you?”
“The senior center common room on Lawrence.”
“What?”
“It’s free and anyone can use it. Coffee is only a quarter, and it’s easy for me to get to. That’s not too far for you, is it?”
“No, it’s fine. See you there.”
The senior center? Wouldn’t everyone be glaring at them as they drank the almost free coffee and used the facilities meant for the elderly? Well, if she was embarrassing herself anyway, may as well dive in and enjoy it.
What to wear? It was a simple business meeting with the assistant of someone who only paid her in ice cream cones, but Mandy still wanted to look great.
Twenty minutes later, she lay exhausted on her bed. A single tear made its way down her cheek and into her hair. She had nothing attractive to wear. Everything was black, grey or light tan. It all mixed and matched gloriously but none of it said, “wow.” The irony was that she worked at a clothes store. Wait. She jumped up. Jennifer would help her! Mandy grabbed her purse and flew out the door to the store.
“Hey, didn’t expect to see you here.” Jennifer looked up from straightening a rack of shirts.
“I’m looking for a professional, yet amazing outfit that says I’m not a boring accountant.”
“Finally. I’ve been waiting to update your wardrobe for years.”
“Just one outfit, please. I’m dipping a toe in, that’s all.”
“What’s the occasion?” Jennifer pulled a vibrant indigo top from the hanger and handed it to Mandy.
Jennifer didn’t have the highest opinion of Max, but Mandy’s stomach rolled a little at the thought of not being honest with her best friend. “I have a meeting with Sophie, the woman who did Max’s business plan. I want to look sharp. It could mean more business if she has other contacts.”
“The plan was well done?”
“It was perfect. It hit the tender spot where sales pitch meets price point. I think he couldn’t have done better.”
“Trust him to get as many women as possible into helping him for free. Here try this skirt. It should be modest enough for you but with sufficient impact.
The skirt was silky to the touch with a myriad of swirling colors and was mid-calf length. It looked like something a gypsy would wear.
“The style is called Bohemian, or Boho.”
Mandy frowned. She wasn’t sure Boho was something she wanted. Her clothes style was classically nondescript. Her business depended on presenting a professional, tailored look. She took the two pieces and pulled back the curtain of a changing room. The silky skirt smoothed over her body. She felt naked under the layers of beautiful, swirling colors. The top followed, flowing around her curves.
“Here, put this on, too.” A metal belt clanged over the rod that held the curtain. Mandy wrapped it around her tiny waist and came out. “Ta da!” She struck a pose.
“Hmm.” Jennifer loosened the belt so that it hung better and put the excess off to the side so it wouldn’t jangle when she walked. “Take a look.”
Mandy turned toward the mirror and gasped. She looked polished and…well, attractive. “I feel like I’m not wearing anything.”
“Comfortable, right? And it covers everything with no chance of a brisk wind showing your underthings.”
“Thank you. I’m just not the kind of person who feels comfortable with everything hanging out.”
“I know, and that’s why I love you. Plus you make me look so good when we go anywhere together.” Jennifer patted her on the arm. “But these are modest, and they look great.”
Mandy gasped at the price tag, even with her discount, but plunked down her money, went home, and changed for her meeting. She added a black blazer to tone down the colors and to blend the old and the new style. With coat, boots and gloves on, she ventured into the snow that had started swirling in gusts.
Walking to the senior center in driving snow was like fighting against a hurricane. She put down her head and slogged ahead. Without the trees on either side of the sidewalk, she wouldn’t have known where to walk. “So this is a whiteout,” she muttered into her scarf. “Lovely day for a meeting.”
At the center, Mandy yanked open the door and it took off into the wind. She flew off her feet, holding onto the handle. Strong arms wrapped around her and kept her grounded. With one hand around her waist, whoever had her captured the door and pulled it back.
In the anteroom, he set her on her feet and laughed. Max! He picked her up again and swung her around, his beautiful eyes locked with hers.
The breath flew out of her and her heart picked up its pace. His warmth enveloped her, even through the clothes.
“Let’s go see Sophie.” He said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Her smile slipped, but she walked beside him to the community room.
A woman in a wheel chair was smiling as Max walked in. “Hey, Sophie, love, how are you today?”
“I’m glorious. And is this your delightful Mandy?” The deep, sexy voice was unmistakable. Sophie was seventy-five if she was a day.
Mandy’s smile probably lit the room.
“Sophie, this is Mandy.”
“I’m so pleased to meet you, sweetie,” Sophie reached out a gnarled hand with large, chunky rings on it.
Mandy held the small bones of the woman’s hand gently. “Me, too. That business proposal was really amazing.”
“Thanks. It’s what I used to do for a living. Take your coat off. Let’s have a seat.”
Max helped Mandy off with her coat. “Look at you. I’ve never seen you wear
anything so colorful.” Max gave her an appreciative glance.
Mandy pulled her jacket closer. “Ah, Jennifer kind of talked me into it.”
“It’s so bright and happy, I love it,” said Sophie.
Max kept stealing glances at her. She couldn’t tell whether he liked it or not. She turned her focus to the business proposal.
Sophie and she discussed their changes to the document, finally coming up with compromises they all could agree on. Well, the two of them, anyway.
Max was humming and looking around the senior center.
“Max, why don’t you play something for us?” asked Sophie.
Without a word, Max got up and swirled the cover off the big grand piano. He looked up for a moment and then placed his hands on the keys. The music swelled from the huge instrument, filling the room.
Everyone stopped and took it in as though it was oxygen.
“What a precious gift,” whispered Mandy.
“Our boy has been blessed by the Lord,” agreed Sophie. “In his sculpture, too. Have you seen the designs?”
Mandy shook her head.
“You should make him show you his designs. God lives in them.” She smiled and nodded at Max.
Max lowered the cover back over the gleaming piano and walked back over to them.
“That was glorious,” Mandy said.
“Truly inspired,” Sophie added.
Mandy gathered the papers together, slipped them in the plastic envelope she’d brought. Max took the envelope. A hug for Sophie from Max and then they went to the foyer. Max helped her put her coat on.
“Can I see the first sculpture you did?”
“Are you dressed warmly enough? It’s a couple of blocks on Hewitt and Fifth.”
She looked out at the snow that was still falling wet and heavy. “Maybe not. But I’d really like to see it.”
“Tomorrow’s Christmas. We could go there and then have dinner somewhere.”
“I’d like that. We could go to the candlelight service afterwards. I’ll make a list of the places that are open.”
“Forget the list. We’ll just trust that things will work out. Let it go!” Max started singing. His rich baritone was amazing.
Mandy wasn’t surprised.
Max broke off abruptly. “I’ve got to get this proposal over to the head of the committee. He’s waiting for it.”
“Have you got somewhere to stay tonight?”
“Yes, I keep an eye on the Paint N Go. I’m sort of the night watchman.”
“Wait, what about Sophie? Do we need to get her home?”
Max laughed. “No, they have a secret tunnel to the retirement home that they roll through.”
“We can drop off this proposal on the way and rest from this blizzard.” Max opened the door, careful to keep one hand on it securely.
They were buffeted by wind and snow as they tried to walk against the wind. Max shielded Mandy as much as he could, but the wind tore at them and the snow became like shards of ice. Even her wool coat couldn’t stop the swirling gusts.
The welcome lights of the office building swam out of the whiteness. Max and Mandy fell into the lobby, breathing heavily and smacking the snow off of them.
A tall, older man in a suit rushed out of his glass enclosed office to meet them. “Max, I didn’t expect you to make it here tonight! It’s horrible out.”
Max laughed and reached into his coat, drawing out the proposal. “But here you are, and here it is.” He handed it over with a flourish.
“Thanks. I can tell you right now that you have the commission. We just needed this to dot the I’s and cross the T’s. Congratulations.” He looked past them out into the blizzard. “And let me give you a ride home. My son came with his four wheel drive. I’m leaving my car here for the night.”
“We accept,” Max said. “We have to get Mandy home and then drop me off at Paint N Go.”
“OK,” the man responded. Let me just get my briefcase, and we’ll go.”
Max got in the back first so he could help Mandy into the high vehicle. He pulled her up and they fell back into the seat laughing.
“Drew, this is Mandy and Max. We need to drop them, where?”
Mandy told him her address and the big truck rumbled off.
The vehicle fought through snow drifts like a bulldozer through hills of dirt. The big V8 ground gears as it labored over hills of snow in their path. Around one corner, the wheels lost traction and slid.
Mandy gasped.
All three of the men laughed. Max wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed.
The truck slid to a stop.
Mandy let out the breath she’d been holding. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re home,” announced Drew.
“Thank you, God.” She muttered.
“That’s the spirit,” Max nodded.
Max got out and accompanied her to the door, made sure she got in safely, and then left.
Mandy watched out her window, unable to see much more than the taillights of the vehicle as it drove from sight. She went to bed and in her dreams chased forgiveness, but she was always getting to the church too late and everyone was gone.
She woke unrested and got dressed.
A knock on the door startled her. Who would be out and about in this blizzard? But a peek out the window showed sun shining bright on snow so white, it hurt the eyes. Plows had already gone by, as the streets were cleared. She went to the door.
“Good morning, my love.” Max’s full smile was blinding and went straight to her heart.
“Hello, Max. What are you doing out and about?
“Well, I thought I’d come have breakfast with you, but the restaurants I passed were closed. So I planned to throw myself upon your mercy.”
Mandy laughed. “I have a full buffet of one type of cereal and some coffee.”
“How could I resist?” He grinned and clutched his heart in an exaggerated emotion.
She set out bowls and made coffee. It felt good to do something domestic for Max. They didn’t have an official agreement but she thought of him as hers.
After a quick breakfast, they headed out. The day was crystal clear. Everything was blanketed with sparkling snow. The plows were still growling down the road, but the sidewalks hadn’t been cleared yet.
“It’s like we’re the only ones alive in the world this morning,” Mandy smiled, holding his hand.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas.”
“Hey, what would you like for Christmas?”
“Nothing, Max.” She smiled at him. Just being with him was a present every day.
“No, really, I have some money now, and I’d like to get you something. Something special.”
“Don’t get me anything. I’m just happy to be with you.”
“See now you’ve unleashed something. I’ll use my imagination and get you either something I like or something I think you might like. Dangerous ground.”
“Let me think about it. Meanwhile, we have church.”
“OK but don’t take too long or I’ll take matters into my own hands,” Max warned.
Church flew by and Max had to prompt Mandy when to stand and when to pray. Her thoughts were elsewhere. Dare she ask for what she truly wanted from Max? Did she even know him well enough? A passing thought of her appropriate husband material list came and went.
After church, they walked a different route, led by Max. Mandy didn’t much care where they went as long as they were together. Max seemed content to hold her hand and tromp through the heavy snow, beating it down in places so she could safely walk. They went past a jewelry store.
“Let’s look,” Max said.
“I can’t believe they’re open on Christmas.”
“Probably to scoop up some men who didn’t have a list and waited last minute to shop.”
“Should have had a list,” Mandy smiled.
“Ah, you and those lists.”
They stepped into the
shop.
“Which one appeals to you?” Max asked her.
“I’ve never been partial to diamonds. I like rubies. I think they go better with my hair and pale skin.”
“How about this one with the little diamonds on either side?”
Mandy laughed. “It’s beautiful, but I don’t need any jewelry,” she said dismissively.
“Can the lady try this one on?” The salesperson hurried over and unlocked the cabinet. She was an older dark-haired woman, with a nice smile. “It’s gorgeous,” the woman said. “And really highlights your beautiful hands.”
“It’s so lovely.” The setting was white gold and the ruby was heart shaped and looked huge on her tiny hands.
“Will you marry me, Mandy? I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you. We complement each other, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather spend my time here on Earth with than you.”
And just like that, God handed Mandy her heart’s desire. How could she say no? Who needed a list when she had Max?
“Yes, yes, yes.” Mandy stared at him, surprise and pleasure coursing through her. “I love you too, Max.”
The sales lady clapped, Max dropped a quick kiss on her lips and wrapped up the transaction. He slipped the box and the sales receipt in his pocket. “I insist that you wear my ring,” he said as they stepped out into the snow sunshine.
“I never thought of taking it off.” Mandy pulled up short. “What about the store? Jennifer is expecting me to run her store.”
“Is that what you feel called to do by God?”
“I’m not sure what God has called me to do. Doesn’t seem like anything.”
“You have to listen closely and not resist.”
“I’ll try to listen.”
“Sometimes there’s a lot of noise drowning out God’s word.”
“I know what God wants me to do. My core mission has always been to provide services to small businesses that needed professional help but can’t afford the bigger accounting firms. That’s what I want to do.”
“Then do it.”
“You make it sound so easy. How will I pay for my apartment? Food?”
“Relax. God will provide. Perhaps you are supposed to mind Jennifer’s boutique for now and build up your clientele. Do you trust God so little?”
The Christmas List Page 5
